November 8, 2010
Ballet - Have You Seen Sylvia Yet?
Sylvia is a three-act ballet that is inspired by characters from mythology. The ballet is set to music by French composer Léo Delibes and premiered at the Palais Garnier in Paris in 1876. The story of Sylvia is based on a play called Aminta written by Torquato Tasso – an Italian poet. On its’ debut Sylvia was not well received and the ballet was performed less and less often, as it did not prove to be popular with audiences.
It wasn’t until 1952 that Sylvia received greater acclaim and wider appeal, when legendary dancer and choreographer Sir Frederick Ashton resurrected the ballet. Critics however found the plotline too complicated, so Ashton reworked Sylvia into a one-act ballet but finally gave up on it in 1965. Ashton had expressed a desire to rework Sylvia once more into a three-act ballet and in 2001 a former student of Ashton’s, Christopher Newton, realized his vision and recreated Sylvia into a three-act ballet with a less complicated narrative. The ballet has been performed in recent times and met with a better reception.
The main roles in the ballet come from mythology; they are Sylvia a huntress nymph, Aminta a shepherd who is in love with Sylvia, Eros the God of love, Diana the Goddess of chastity and the hunt and Orion a malevolent hunter who kidnaps Sylvia. Minor roles include peasants, hunt attendants, goats, fauns and various nymphs and dryads.
The first act of the ballet is called A Sacred Wood and begins with Aminta stumbling upon the various woodland creatures dancing before the God Eros. Sylvia, the object of Aminta’s desire, and her fellow hunters also arrive at the woodland ritual for Eros and begin to mock the God. Confusion breaks out when Sylvia spies the hidden Aminta and she fires her bow at Eros. Aminta in trying to protect Eros is injured by Sylvia’s arrow and Eros shoots Sylvia who is mildly injured. Sylvia’s unwelcome admirer Orion has also been watching this scene and he continues to spy as Sylvia returns to check up on the wounded Aminta and seizes the opportunity to kidnap the young nymph. Eros revives Aminta and tells him of Orion’s kidnap.
In the second Act of Sylvia, entitled Orion’s Island Cave, we find Sylvia being held against her will by Orion. Sylvia refuses all of Orion’s attempts to win her over and hatches a plan to get him drunk so she can escape. She appeals to the God of love Eros for help and he appears along with a vision for Sylvia of Aminta waiting for her at Diana’s temple. Eros helps Sylvia to escape taking her to the temple to be reunited with Aminta.
The third act is called The Sea Coast Near The Temple Of Diana and this is where Aminta and Sylvia are reunited. However Orion is in pursuit and also arrives at the temple. Orion and Aminta fight and in the confusion Orion tries to enter Diana’s shrine where Sylvia is hiding. This act enrages Diana who refuses to give Sylvia and Aminta congress. All is saved by Eros who sends a vision to Diana that reminds her of her own young love for a shepherd Endymion. This softens her heart and Aminta and Sylvia are able to come together with the blessing of the Gods.
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